Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

चिंतया रहितो रुद्रो वाचो यन्मनसा सह । अप्राप्य तन्निवर्तंते वाच्यस्त्वेकाक्षरेण सः

Transliteration

ciṃtayā rahito rudro vāco yanmanasā saha | aprāpya tannivartaṃte vācyastvekākṣareṇa saḥ

Translation

พระรุทระทรงพ้นจากการปรุงแต่งแห่งความคิดทั้งปวง; วาจาพร้อมทั้งจิตก็ไปไม่ถึงแล้วหวนกลับมา แต่กระนั้นพระองค์ยังทรงถูกชี้บ่งด้วยอักษรอมตะเพียงหนึ่งเดียว—“โอม”

Word by Word

• चिंतया: by thought/with thinking
• चिंतया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• रहितः: devoid (of)
• रहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तृतीया-सम्बन्धः—‘चिंतया रहितः’ (devoid of thought)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• वाचः: words/speech
• वाचः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (वाचः = words/speech); वैकल्पिकं द्वितीया-बहुवचनरूपं, अत्र कर्तृपदे

• यत्: which/whom
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• अप्राप्य: not attaining
• अप्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), नकारार्थक-पूर्वक्रिया; धातुः √आप् (प्राप्तौ) उपसर्गः प्र-, नञ् अ-

• तत्: that (him/it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• निवर्तन्ते: they return/withdraw
• निवर्तन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; धातुः √वृत् (निवृत्तौ) उपसर्गः नि-

• वाच्यः: expressible
• वाच्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vācya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थक कृदन्त (to be spoken/expressible), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (सः)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but/however)

• एकाक्षरेण: by one syllable
• एकाक्षरेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः—‘एकं अक्षरं’ (by a single syllable)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudra Samhita account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ॐ (एकाक्षर)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Om (Ekakshara)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that Rudra, the Supreme Pati, transcends the limits of thought and language; liberation arises not by mental speculation but by turning inward to the revealed mantra-principle that points to Him.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though Shiva is ultimately beyond mind and speech (nirguṇa), devotees approach Him through accessible indicators (liṅga, name, mantra). The verse grounds saguna/linga worship as a valid means that points toward the transcendent Rudra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and meditation on the Ekākṣara “Oṁ” (and, by extension, Shiva-mantra practice) with withdrawal of speech and mind—letting discursive thought subside while holding the mantra as the pointer to Shiva.